A Yale graduate in Kathmandu talks about the devastation from Saturday's earthquake in Nepal

A few days ago, Lokesh Todi would have used his camera to capture the beauty, culture and history of his home city: Kathmandu, Nepal.

Now, the Yale School of Management graduate is using his love of photography to chronicle the damage, confusion and devastation left behind by the worst earthquake to strike Nepal in more than 80 years.

"It gives perspective," Todi said Monday via Skype.

The 7.8-magnitude quake struck Saturday morning, with an epicenter about 50 miles northwest of Kathmandu. As of Monday, the city was still experiencing aftershocks, Todi said. Cracked sidewalks and collapsed walls have become common sights, he said, and several of the city's temples have been reduced to rubble.

"The city has seen a lot of loss in property and life. Old UNESCO heritage sites such as Durbar Square and Patan have lost temples," he said.

Dharara tower, a nine-story structure built in 1832 that stood tall over the city, has completely collapsed, Todi said. Until Sunday, there was no power, he said. And outside the city, closer to the earthquake's epicenter, things are much worse.

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Lokesh Todi

Lokesh Todi

(Reliance Group, hc)

"Some of the villages have been completely wiped out," Todi said.

In Kathmandu, tents have lined the roads and filled every park, he said. While some belong to those who lost their homes in the earthquake, others belong to people who are so scared of another quake toppling their houses that they won't go home.

"People are scared to be in their houses so are camping out anywhere they can," Todi said. "There's a lot of homelessness."

In an attempt to raise money to assist with the local relief efforts, Todi and his cousin, who is living in Boston, have created a fundraising website on Indiegogo.com. Todi said they plan to donate the money to local non-governmental organizations, rather than the larger international relief organizations, because "they understand the area better and are going to be here much longer." Todi said that while at Yale, he took a yearlong course called "Managing Global Catastrophes" and learned that local NGOs are often sidelined in the wake of major tragedies.

"The country will take time to heal," he said, so support to local organizations will be crucial.

As of Monday afternoon, the page had raised more than $50,000.

"We have been very fortunate," Todi said. "A lot of friends from Yale, Colby College [where Todi did his undergraduate work], my work place in Boston have spread the word and donated themselves. My cousin who is in Boston has spread it to his Stanford and current work network as well. So a lot of people who know us personally and our love of Nepal have stepped up to help out."

Todi said that because one U.S. dollar is about 101 Nepalese Rupees, "Even a small donation will go a long way."